Science Friday
Hosted by Flora Lichtman & Ira Flatow · 46 decoded episodes · newest Oct 8, 2026
Covering the outer reaches of space to the tiniest microbes in our bodies, Science Friday is the source for entertaining and educational stories about science, technology, and other cool stuff.
Episodes 46
- Aug 21, 2026 · 13 minMicroplastics research confronts pregnancy’s biggest unknownsParticles have been detected in reproductive tissues, but scientists still cannot say whether current exposure levels harm pregnancies or future generations.
- Aug 20, 2026 · 13 minPhysicists find new stakes in climate researchThe episode connects climate science to core physics while showing how funding and political pressure can constrain the researchers needed to study it.
- Aug 19, 2026 · 18 minRobots learn the physical world as AI reshapes mathematicsThe episode examines two frontiers where AI must move beyond fluent prediction: navigating physical environments and producing mathematics humans can verify and understand.
- Aug 18, 2026 · 18 minLucid moments challenge assumptions about dementiaUnderstanding brief returns of communication or cognition could reshape dementia research and how families engage with people who seem less responsive.
- Aug 17, 2026 · 12 minSnow drought tests Colorado’s mountain economyColorado’s warming, less reliable winters are exposing how deeply mountain communities depend on snow, tourism, and water.
- Aug 14, 2026 · 18 minScientists search for species lost to scienceSpecies can vanish from scientific records long before anyone can determine whether they are extinct, making documentation an urgent conservation tool.
- Aug 13, 2026 · 12 minVaccine hesitancy demands trust, not just factsAs measles cases rise and childhood vaccine policy faces controversy, the episode examines why persuasion depends on relationships, identity, access, and trust.
- Aug 12, 2026 · 18 minCuriosity turns insect pee into a map for scienceSaad Bhamla’s lab shows how asking unusual questions can connect fluid physics, music, engineering, and childhood curiosity.
- Aug 11, 2026 · 12 minSome monkeys face even steeper childbirth challenges than humansComparing primate births reveals how anatomy, brain evolution, and social support shaped the human experience of childbirth.
- Aug 10, 2026 · 17 minHaaland makes the case for science-led public lands managementThe former Interior secretary explains how conservation, industry, tribal relationships, and climate action collide in managing the nation’s public lands.